Wogan, interviewed by former ITV controller of Entertainment, Vernon Lawrence, in front of an audience of retired television executives at a Royal Television Society Veteran's lunch in London, said it was 'no longer a certain BBC,' as it had been when he first joined 40 years ago.
Despite what he perceives as the BBC's recent woes and mistakes, such as the decision to leave Television Centre - 'that dead or deserted doughnut in the White City' - Wogan maintained that the BBC was still 'the greatest broadcaster in the world'.
Sir Terry, 70, who currently presents 'Wake up to Wogan' on BBC Radio 2 said that his programme aims to 'create a club atmosphere', he said, for his listeners or 'TOGS' (Terry's Old Geezers).
His own talent was 'a gift,' Wogan said, adding that he was pleased that he had found something he could do well, after a false start in banking in his native Ireland.
Broadcasting for him was about communication, 'not about audiences'. "You are talking to one or two people," he explained.
Refusing to be drawn on the criticism and controversy surrounding his fellow BBC breakfast radio host, Radio 1's Chris Moyles, Wogan simply said that 'he [Moyles] manages to attract a young audience in spite of iPods, computers and others things'.
Past career
Wogan, explaining his retirement as the BBC's Eurovision Song Contest commentator - a post which he held for 20 years - said that his 'innings' had come to an end. The 'last thing I want people to say is that he is not bad for his age,' he said.
"The Iron Curtain has never been lifted. They [the participating counties] still vote for their neighbour in case they invade them next week," Wogan added.
Wogan also spoke about his broadcasting work on BBC's Children in Need over the last 30 years. ‘'We have raised half a billion pounds," he boasted, and revealed that last year's total - yet to be announced officially - would be £37 million - 'not bad from a programme which started in a hotel lobby in Hammersmith,' he joked.
John Mair is senior lecturer in broadcasting at Coventry University and organiser of the Coventry Conversations, a series of events featuring high-profile media figures. Paul Gambaccini, Ray Snoddy and Nicholas Jones are included in the scheduled line-up for summer 2009.
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